My President Won’t Budget for Rebrand Research—Now What?

When leadership wants to skip a research and “content team” doesn’t capture your impact, here’s what to do.

2 minutes
By: Jaime Hunt
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Dear Jaime is Volt’s regular advice column. The questions in today’s post are samples of the kinds of questions that Jaime Hunt, our columnist and a higher ed marketing pro, gets in her inbox. To send her a question you’d like answered (anonymous or signed, you decide!), you can submit your question here or send an email to dearjaime@voltedu.com.

Dear Jaime,

My university president doesn’t think we need to do research to inform our rebrand. What can I tell him to convince him we can’t skip this step?

–   Dying for Data

Dear Dying for Data,

I get it. You’re trying to move a big initiative forward and your university president wants to save time. Skipping research might feel like the faster path: jump straight to design and then unveil a shiny new brand. But this approach is a shortcut to a brand that doesn’t resonate with your audience.

So what do you tell your president? You frame it this way: “We have one shot to get this right, and the time it takes to ask questions now is a small investment compared to the cost of getting it wrong.”

Here’s your backup: A rebrand redefines your institution’s story. It’s much more than a visual identity change and a font update. And the only way to tell that story well is to understand how your audiences see you, what they value, and what gaps exist between perception and reality.

When we don’t take the time to listen to our stakeholders, we risk creating a brand that looks good on paper but misses the heart of who we are. Worse, we might create one that alienates the very people we’re trying to reach.

The good news is that research can be simple and timely. Sometimes, it’s as simple as running focus groups, doing quick sentiment surveys, or conducting stakeholder interviews. As a bonus, these activities build trust in the work because they invite people into the process. Research signals that leadership makes decisions based on real input.

I’ve seen institutions pour hundreds of hours into rebrands only to discover their messaging didn’t land or the visuals didn’t reflect the university. When that happens, you don’t just lose time and money. You lose credibility.

So what do you tell your president? You say this: “We have one shot to get this right. And the cost of getting it wrong is far greater than the time it takes to ask the right questions now.”

Dear Jaime,

I lead a team of writers (news and marketing copy) and editors. We are referred to as the “content team,” but that term rubs some team members the wrong way. What would you suggest we call ourselves?

–   Discontent with “Content”

Dear Discontent with “Content,”

You’re not wrong to feel that “content team” undersells the work your team does. “Content” has become a catch-all term that can mean everything and nothing at the same time. It doesn’t reflect the strategic value of the work or the care your team puts into communicating what makes the institution special.

Your team is building narratives that shape public perception and connect with people on a human level. That’s not content. That’s storytelling.

If you want a title that better honors the depth and impact of your work, I suggest naming the team based on what you actually do: you tell the university’s story. My recommendation? Rebrand as The University Storytelling Team. It’s clear, purpose-driven, and elevates the function of your team from task execution  to advancing the institution’s goals.

This kind of renaming reframes the work in the eyes of leadership and collaborators. It opens the door to conversations about strategy, voice, audience, and impact. And it tells everyone on campus that the professionals on this team don’t just “create content.” They shape the university’s narrative.

Jaime Hunt

Jaime Hunt

Contributor

After a 20-year career in higher education marketing, Jaime Hunt founded Solve Higher Ed in 2024. She is also the host of the Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO podcast and the author of Heart Over Hype: Transforming Higher Ed Marketing with Empathy.

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